Beer Tasting Wheel

Think about your favorite beer. Go grab one if you can. Don’t pop the top quite yet. Let it sit for a moment. Ice cold beer numbs our taste buds and doesn’t allow us to experience full flavor. It’s hard right? Take a sip now. Have you previously considered why this beer is your favorite beer? I always come back to my favorite, it’s in my hand right now - it’s local. It’s not my favorite because it’s local. It’s my favorite because it’s the perfect amount of bitter and fruity with notes of pine and citrus.

Talk to a local brewer, tell them what you like about their beer. Let this wheel guide you and help you learn how to describe what you like. Don’t be afraid to utilize descriptors outside of this wheel. Taste is subjective and our palates are ever changing.

Local brewers strive to brew good beer that’s good because it’s well crafted, not just good because it’s local. Oklahoma is home to 19 diverse breweries and that number will likely grow between the time this issues goes to print and ends up in your hands. Celebrate with each new brewery and go back to the classics. Taste purposely. Brewers want you to slip slowly, they want you to enjoy and absorb the experience and then share that experience with others. Nothing pairs better with a great beer than a shared table full of food and friends.

Show us what you’re drinking and tell us what you’re tasting by mentioning and tagging us @edibleokc.